Single chain antibody fragments neutralize infectious bursal disease virus.

2003 MAY 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers have generated chicken single chain antibody variable fragments (scFv) that differentiate and neutralize infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV).

"Phage-displayed recombinant antibody libraries derived from splenic mRNA of chickens immunized with an Australian strain of IBDV were constructed as scFv by either overlap extension polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or sequential ligation of the individual heavy (V[subscript]H) and light (V[subscript]L) chain variable gene segments. Sequential cloning of the individual V[subscript]H and V[subscript]L genes into a newly constructed pCANTAB-link vector containing the synthetic linker sequence (Gly[subscript]4Ser)[subscript]3 was more efficient than cloning by overlap extension PCR, increasing the library size 500-fold," scientists in Australia report.

"Eighteen IBDV specific antibodies with unique scFv sequences were identified after panning the library against the immunizing antigen," said S. I. Sapats and colleagues at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Livestock Industries. "Eight of the clones contained an identical V[subscript]H gene but unique V[subscript]L genes. In ELISA analysis using a panel of Australian and overseas IBDV strains, one scFv antibody was able to detect all strains, whilst three ...